2026 06 04
A letter from a MHO (manufactured home owner) to their Mayor, Council, Premier and MLA, regarding uncertainties at the sale of the MHC (Manufactured Home Community/Park) in 2019. ’Letters of Hardship’ were written from residents of the Park, emphasizing the uncertainties of the next phases of their lives, and shared en masse with City officials. The sale of the Park was a surprise to the homeowners, and occurred prior to their researching the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act (MHPTA) and Regulations. Subsequent changes to the Act and Reg have been made, and yet most of the issues presented are representative of the same conditions found in MHCs across BC already in the 1970s and still today – a sad remark on the lack of progress in dealing with legislation to truly reflect homeowners on leased land.
2019
TO: Mayor xxxxxxxxx and Council, City of xxxxxxxxx
TO: Premier John Horgan,
TO: M.L.A. xxxxxxxxx
RE: Listing for Sale of xxxxxxxxx Mobile Home Park
There is a lot of uncertainty and anxiety in our household and in those of the other residents of xxxxxxxxx Park, regarding recent notice that xxxxxxxxx Park land will be listed for sale. While it is understood that this is prime development land, there are some major issues with this action that need to be considered.
With this sale announcement, a market value benefit (over assessed value) estimated to be about $3 million – part of the major investment residents have made in affordable housing in this park – has been eliminated. In addition, uncertainties abound as to what will happen and what rules will apply in the next months. Questions as to compensation, relocation, and time frame do not have answers. This is unique to manufactured home developments on rented or leased land, as opposed to spatial tenancies (apartments or homes). The ‘Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act’ and related Regulation partially address the expected changes once a development application is submitted, but do not deal with simple park closures if that were to take place.
Homeowners at xxxxxxxxx Park are in limbo, there is no solid ‘exit strategy’ in place to help us with decisions affecting our futures. Anyone wishing to sell their unit and move due to age, work, family, mobility or health is effectively imprisoned or forced to forego life savings equity, meanwhile suffering undo stress and worry.
Moving a mobile home requires a new location be available; time for the disassembly, moving, and reassembly of the home; and temporary accommodations and storage of belongings during transition. Unit size and configuration make a difference too, as double-wide homes are really two smaller units requiring separate moves and a more complicated separation/assembly.
xxxxxxxxx Park is an excellent example of affordable housing options, a rented-land model that separates land costs from housing unit costs. This model could be expanded on the existing site, potentially with a transition plan for redevelopment in the future, and replicated across the province. Moving MH units to new locations is currently an impossible task in our immediate area as there are no spaces available.
We implore action to update the existing Act and Regulation to reflect current situations, and to provide peace of mind to manufactured home owners in xxxxxxxxx and across the province.
Sincerely, xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx